What do people think to these?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/J-R-R-TOLKIEN-T ... 0a70&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/J-R-R-TOLKIEN-T ... 8c80&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Andrew

I have several items signed by both Priscilla and Fr. John. Allowing for the problems of viewing through a PC, I'd say the first one looks ok to me. The second one rings some warning bells:

- What are the odds that two almost identical (and rare) articles should appear on ebay at the same time?

- The signatures in the second copy look identical to those in the first; not always a good sign!

- Both articles are said to be from 'Oxenmoot'. In the first, that's based on a mis-reading of Fr. John's writing. But I'd guess the second sales pitch is simply aping the first, and so I'd be very wary of that one.

The first auction (seller: bibliology) is for the same copy that I posted a thread about back in May. (The present auction has now finished with no takers.)

John & Priscilla Signed Silmarillion on eBay...

I can't remember the seller (nobody familiar), but evidently it was purchased by bibliology at that time: price was £157. That seller answered questions quite honestly; the opening price was pretty low if I recall; and the seller was at Oxenmoot themselves.

This gene--ius auction is indeed very suspicious. Firstly they're nearly identical. Secondly, look at the sellers rating and other two auctions: both local pick-up, with dubious return policy. I think this is a fake. In reply to how the signing came about seller replied:



Seems very convenient.

On looking at the signatures themselves: John Tolkien's signature is very similar in both. However the suspect Priscilla signature is slightly different: the P is slightly laboured; the two l's are joined; and the k is lost in 'Tolkien'. The red pen is also unusual. And if you follow that this is a fake then I suspect after doing Priscilla's in blue (like the bibliology one) the seller decided that black would be too exact, and having no other colour (that would be likely) did John's in red.

Although in saying all this, often when one appears on eBay, another (genuine auction) follows shortly after.

BH

Attach file:

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  [eBay] \'Oxenmoot 1977\' Billing Silm. (signed by Priscilla & John Tolkien).jpg (6.64 KB)


  [eBay] Suspicious \'Oxenmoot 1977\' (signed by Priscilla & John Tolkien).jpg (13.05 KB)

Well, even without provenance, it eventually finished at £105...

BH